Mobile marketing is an essential element to all successful marketing strategies today. Although the majority of the population uses a smartphone in some form or another, it\u2019s in any savvy business\u2019s best interest to build upon the opportunity mobile presents for engaging current and potential customers. As mobile usage has continued to rise, so has the use of mobile videos. In order to ensure you\u2019re reaching your target audience where they are, vertical video is the key to capitalizing on mobile video marketing. To help get you started, we\u2019re sharing the ultimate marketer’s guide to vertical videos.<\/p>\n
Research shows<\/a> smartphone users hold their phones vertically about 94% of the time and less than 30% of users will turn their phone sideways to watch an add. These numbers demonstrate the need for marketers to appeal to consumers\u2019 preferences and focus on vertical content. Aside from the convenience and comfort of the natural way people tend to hold their phones, there are several benefits that make vertical videos so appealing.<\/p>\n Vertical videos allow for fewer distractions. Unlike desktop users, who can switch from tab to tab, vertical videos take up the entire screen. Using vertical videos holds the viewer’s entire focus, without ads or additional content getting in the way.<\/p>\n People naturally hold their phones vertically to talk, text and video chat. Producing videos that align with this normalcy can make your content less feel less sales-y.<\/p>\n The beauty of mobile marketing, particularly through social media and video content, is that it doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be a big, formal production. Successful vertical videos come in a variety of formats and offer the flexibility to create whatever suits you and your audience. That being said, there are a few recommended best practices for producing engaging, quality content.<\/p>\n Holding the attention of viewers is essential in getting your message across successfully. Aside from creating enticing topics, it\u2019s important for marketers to put themselves in the shoes of their audience and consider how viewers will be receiving these videos. For example, 85% of Facebook videos<\/a> are watched without sound. Therefore, it\u2019s critical to ensure your videos can sustain themselves should the audience choose to watch in silent mode. The simplest way to achieve this is by incorporating graphic elements into your videos. Depending on the platform you\u2019re using to create and share your videos, there are a number of different elements that can be used such as text, overlays, subtitles and stop motion. Supplementing your imagery with any of these options can help keep viewers engaged and help them to understand the storyline of your video.<\/p>\n Once again, it\u2019s important to keep your audience\u2019s viewing process in mind when creating vertical videos. Considering a high percentage of mobile content is viewed while on-the-go or in spurts of free time, shorter is better. As a general rule, aim to keep all vertical videos under two minutes. Depending on the platform, of course, this rule may vary slightly. \u00a0For example, a two-minute Snapchat is not nearly as effective as a two-minute Facebook video. Consider common behaviors other users on each platform demonstrate, and try to replicate that with your videos to get your message across in the most efficient and impactful way.<\/p>\n Unlike horizontal filming, which allows for a much wider view, vertical videos are primarily focused on a single scene or subject. This gives you the opportunity to spotlight the subject of your video, making every aspect and movement meaningful to the content\u2019s story. Don\u2019t be afraid to zoom in and really engage the star of your video. The more captivating, the better.<\/p>\n Just like traditional marketing efforts, vertical videos for business are most impactful when they maintain a consistent brand voice. Figure out what channels and style of content your audience prefers and continuously deliver it. It\u2019s easier to build a loyal following when consumers know what they can expect from you.<\/p>\n Instagram launched their stories feature in 2016 and has since gained notable popularity among consumers and businesses alike. A prime platform for vertical video, Instagram stories enables users to post short videos to their feeds that expire after 24 hours. This sort of snackable content provides tremendous opportunities for brands to demonstrate new products, company events or just spontaneous office happenings and employee interactions. Plus with all the editing and graphic features stories offers, it\u2019s simple to make even the most basic videos engaging and unique.<\/p>\n In contrast to Instagram stories\u2019 short nature, IGTV is designed to allow for long-form vertical videos with a maximum time limit of 10 minutes for the average account and up to an hour for larger accounts. For marketers, this feature can resemble a mini television channel. Should there be a subject you want to cover in-depth via vertical video, IGTV is the way to go.<\/p>\n As the originator of vertical video stories, Snapchat is becoming an increasingly popular channel for marketers \u2014 and for good reason. Snapchat found that vertical video ads on the platform are watched all the way through nine times more<\/a> than videos with a horizontal format. Depending on your marketing goals, Snapchat is great for incorporating short ads within other publications\u2019 stories or creating your own subscription channel on the discover page.<\/p>\nLimited interference<\/h2>\n
Personability<\/h2>\n
Vertical video best practices<\/h2>\n
Use graphics<\/h2>\n
Keep it simple<\/h2>\n
Focus<\/h2>\n
Stay consistent<\/h2>\n
Vertical video for social media<\/h2>\n
Instagram<\/h3>\n
IGTV<\/h3>\n
Snapchat<\/h3>\n
Facebook<\/h3>\n